Show-case construction.



" PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

No. 755,593. 0. DURR.

SHOW CASE CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Uficz Dun", 5 Q 5 5 alfamzsy,

217255555; $45M, fl w) I iatented March 22, 11904.

FFICE.

OTTO Dunn, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

SHOW-CASE CONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,593, dated March22, 1904.

Application filed August 25, 1903. Serial No. 170,667. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OTTO DURR, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-CaseConstruction,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in show-case construction, althoughnot strictly limited thereto in all its features, my objects being theprovision of structural means readily adapting themselves toconstructions wherein glass principally enters and which obviateundesirable features found in devices of the prior art.

Show-case or show-window construction has demanded and for some timeembodied the feature of uniting the glass plates thereof without the useof wood or metal framing, the plate-glass being united at the edges orcorners by different forms of strap and bolt connections, but thefastenings frequently are broken away from the glass and many are ofsuch character that they may easily be released from the outside withoutbreaking the glass, thus offering an opportunity for petty thiev ing.There doors are used, the weight or strain thereof upon the supportingglass parts is often such as to break the glass away at these relativelysmall areas. Grinding the abutting surfaces or edges of the plates willinsure a reasonably-tight joint between the parts to exclude dust andmoisture, but this is an expensive step in the course of manufacture. Myimprovements have sought to overcome these and other difiiculties, andmay be briefly referred to in a preliminary way as consisting in theembodiment shown in providing a glass-connector having a side strap withrelatively large interiorly-engaging surfaces for one of the plates ofglass, the same having an exteriorly-protruding threaded terminalengaged by a similarly-expanded nut-like or tapped part screwing downupon the outer surface of the other plate to form a joint between theglass, said part then being secured by an interiorly-fastening bolt.There preferably is provided between the abutting or presented glasssurfaces a flarmg or somewhat Wedgeshaped rubber packing-strip,particularly the structure is for out-of-door use, and rubber or leathermay be used with advantage, if desired, between the glass and metalsurfaces. Auxiliary to the hinges of the door or closure part supportedby the glass I also employ, should the weight or strain of said doordemand it, a supporting-arm which may be rigidly pivoted upon abase-post, the device serving to sustain a portion of the doors weightat a point relatively distant from the hinges by preference.

Further details of my improvements may readily be gathered from theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, whereinFigure I is a perspective view showing a glass case wherein myimprovements are employed. Fig. II is a similar view drawn to largerscale to illustratea portion of the case with its glass door andauxiliary support, parts being broken away. Fig. III is a sectional viewdrawn to still larger scale, showing the corner construction in detailand also a packing-strip. Figs. IV and V show the connecting-strap andits coacting tappet part, and Fig. VI illustrates the auxiliary swingingor hinged support for the door.

Throughout the several figures of the draw- I ings I have designatedsimilar parts by the same characters of reference to avoid any confusionor chance for misinterpretation.

Upon the base 6, which may be suitably constructed of marble, metal, orWood, are mounted the several glass plates forming the sides 0, the topa, and the end 6 of the show-case. A glass door (X may also be hung byhinges h from one of the sides whenever ready access to the interior ofthe case is desired, as is very commonly required. WVith the preciseform of connector shown two holes must be bored in each plate for everyone of its corner connections, although one hole will often suffice forthe strap. This connector comprises a side strap f, having two holes foraccommodating the flush screw-bolts g, securing it to the glass, and athreaded terminal part f of sufficient length to extend through a holein the other glass plate and receive the tapped part This either may bescrewed down to form a close joint between the abutting surfaces of theglass or a suitable packing-strip 1), preferably of rubber and slightlyflaring, as seen in cross-section, may be interposed and stronglyclamped between the presented faces of the glass by the connector. Whenthus compressed, said strip preferably is of sufiE'F cient width tooverlap the glass at its outer edge and assist in forming a perfectlytight joint for excluding dust and rain. The packingstrip also permitsthe case a slight give when under strain and,fu rthermore, does notrequire the formation of perfectly even or absolutely straight edgesupon the glass. The nut-like or tapped part 2' after being screwed downupon the terminal f is fastened in place by an interiorly-securedscrew-bolt it. Thus all the fastenings of the corner-connector areinterior of the case and may not be removed from the outside. The sidestrap f and its tapped part 2' preferably are made of sufficient size todistribute the strain over quite large areas of the glass and avoidbreaking or cracking the same.

Furthermore, the engaging metal parts of the connector may often befaced with rubber, leather, or like material, as at Z, to afford aslightly-yielding fastening, and to the same end the holes in the glassmay be made of sufficient size to offer a small clearance for thecontained screw-bolts. The hinges h are similarly mounted to the glassside and door by screw-bolts; but the strain thereon is greater than atthe permanently-connected corners, so I frequently provide in additionan auxiliary hinged support for the door. In the drawings this comprisesa rigidly-mounted post on, secured within the case upon the base portionand a pivoted or hinged arm a mounted thereon by a relatively widebearing, the outer end of said arm having a lip or support 0 for thelower edge of the door, wherein it has a slight sliding movement. Bythis arrangement the auxiliary support may be mounted in the case whereit will be out of the way and at the sametime afford the most efficientstay for the swinging door at a point relatively distant from thehinges. If mounted substantially as shown in the drawings orapproximately in line with the hinges, this device does not impede theopening and closing of the door.

Having now described a construction embodying my invention orimprovements, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,the following:

l. Inaglass structure, the combination with the closure part or door, ofthe glass-mounted hinge or hinges carrying the same in position to swingto and fro, and an auxiliary pivoted supporting part connected with andstaying the door at a point relatively distant from the hinges,substantially as set forth.

2. In constructions of the class described, the combination with theswinging door, of its the glass sides thereof, of the glass plate form-7 ing the door, hinges connecting an edge thereof to one of the sides, arigidly-mounted post, and a pivoted arm thereon substantially in line toswing with the hinges; said arm supporting the door at a point distantfrom the hinges and near its free edge, substantially as set forth.

4. In constructions of the class described,

the combination with two angularly-abutting glass plates, of a flaringrubber packing-strip interposed between their presented faces, and meansfor tightly clamping or compressing said strip between the plates toform a tight joint, substantially as set forth.

5. In constructions of the class described, the combination with twoangularly-abutting glass plates, of a flaring or wedge-shaped resilientpacking-strip of greater width than the edge of the glass, interposedbetween the presented faces of the plates, and a screw device or clampengaging the angularly-disposed plates and compressing the strip tocause its thicker edge to overlap and form a tight joint between theplates, substantially as set forth.

6. In a fastening for corners in glass construction, the combinationwith the two plates of glass meeting at an angle, of the strap securedto one of said plates and having a screwthreaded terminal extendingthrough an opening in the second plate, a relatively large tappedpartscrewed upon the terminal exterior to, and bearing upon a large areaof the latter plate to form a substantially tight joint between theplates, and means for interiorly securing the strap and tapped part totherespective plates, substantially as set forth.

7. In a fastening for corners in glass construction, the combinationwith the two plates of glass meeting at an angle, of the strap securedto one of said plates and havinga screwthreaded terminal extendingthrough an opening in the second plate, a tapped part screwed upon theterminal exterior to, and bearing upon the latter plate to form asubstantially tight joint between the plates, a yielding surfaceinterposed between the plates and the strap and tapped partrespectively, and means for interiorly securing the said strap andtapped part to the plates, substantially as set forth. 1

8. In a fastening for corners in glass showcase construction, thecombination with the two plates of glass meeting at an angle, of theinterior strap secured to one of said plates and having a screw-threadedterminal extending through a hole in the second plate, an elongated Iootapped part exteriorly screwed upon the ter- Signed at Warren, Ohio,United States of ininal to engage the second plate, said strap America,this 24th clay of August, 1903, in the and tapped part affordingrelatively large enpresence of two subscribing Witnesses. gagingsurfaces for the plates, and interiorly- OTTO DURR, secured screw-boltsfastening the said parts to Witnesses:

the respective glass plates, substantially as set R. E. HARPER,

forth. T. M. ROBBINS.

